Resources for Royalty-Free Creative Common Audio

Whether you're creating an original video for business or compiling multi-media projects in the classroom, audio is an important element in every presentation.

Audio sets the tone and helps convey emotion. Music and/or sound effects can make the difference between a presentation that WOWs or one that falls flat on its face.

However, it is important not to fall into what is a very common trap these days: using music that you do not have permission to use.

Using a popular song from iTunes or off the web is STEALING.

There's just no other way to put it. You simply cannot do this. If you do this in business, you are compromising your reputation, and you're putting yourself at risk to be sued. If you do this in the classroom, you are teaching your students that stealing is okay (and I'm sure you don't want to do that).

Instead, there are a number of audio resources where you can find music and sound effects under the creative common license, which means that artists have provided their music for public use. Most often the music is free to use, and you do not have to cite the source.